House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will address Senate Republicans during their weekly lunch Tuesday in an effort to heal growing friction between the chambers, Axios has learned. The remarks come as House and Senate Republicans have clashed for months over virtually every major priority, despite their control of Congress and the White House.
The disputes have encompassed funding for ICE and Border Patrol, the SAVE Act, and a long-term extension of FISA. Johnson is expected to emphasize the need for open lines of communication as Republicans gear up for reconciliation packages 2.0 and 3.0. It will mark his first appearance at a Senate GOP lunch this year.
House conservatives increasingly view the Senate as the main obstacle, while Senate Republicans deride what they characterize as unrealistic demands from House members. The dynamic has fueled repeated standoffs among congressional Republicans.
"I hate the Senate," Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) told Axios late last month amid FISA disagreements. "There are like two and a half good senators." The House passed the Senate's DHS funding legislation just before they left for recess.
A single source, Axios, reported this story based on a learned tip. No other outlets corroborated the details of Johnson's planned message or the specific nature of the tensions beyond what was reported.